Camp Noel Porter Update Summer 2016

Camp Noel Porter Update Summer 2016

February 2, 2016

Dear Friends,

As you know, if you were able to attend diocesan convention in November, this is a challenging time for Camp Noel Porter, which is a much-beloved place to many in our diocese. Since convention, the camp's new board has made much progress in assessing the challenges we face and discerning a path forward. The board has met three times since convention, including a weekend working retreat in December at Camp Noel Porter, and most recently via conference call in January.

At its meeting in January, the board assessed the viability of holding summer camp this year. While we are keenly aware that Camp Noel Porter has played an important part in many families' summers for decades, the current condition of our facilities and the lack of funding for full-time staff and adequate programming make it impossible for us to offer a summer camp program in 2016 that would meet the standards we believe are necessary for the children of this diocese.

We are delighted, however, to report that, with the support of The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California's Board of Trustees, we have been able to form a one-year partnership with Camp Galilee, the camp of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, located on Lake Tahoe's eastern shore. Camp Galilee is welcoming campers from The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California, and former summer staff from Camp Noel Porter will be encouraged to apply for positions at Galilee beginning in March. Summer registration at Camp Galilee is now open, and we hope that you will encourage families in your congregation to sign up. There are spaces for campers from our diocese. Early registration is encouraged.

Camp Galilee is one of the premier camps in The Episcopal Church. Stuart Campbell, Camp Galilee's Executive Director and member of the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers (www.episcopalccc.org), has been generous with his time and counsel to us. We are grateful to him, Jim Koehn, the President of the Camp Galilee Board, and to the Rt. Rev. Dan Edwards, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, for their enthusiasm for this new partnership between our two dioceses.

This summer, while our campers are enjoying Camp Galilee, the Camp Noel Porter Board will continue to address long-term viability and sustainability issues. We have contracted with Colleen Hagyard, an experienced bookkeeper who serves at Trinity Episcopal Church in Folsom, and have already arranged for the diocesan auditor, Gilbert Associates, Inc., to conduct an audit of the camp's finances. We are also arranging for a capital replacement and reserves study that will assess both the camp's facilities and the capital reserves necessary for a sustainable mission on the Tahoe City property.

This decision was a difficult one for the board to make. Across The Episcopal Church, dioceses, camps, congregations and other organizations are finding new and fruitful ways to share resources and partner for sustainable futures, and we are fortunate to have a strong partner in Camp Galilee while we determine the best way forward. In addition to our partnership with Camp Galilee, our diocese is blessed with many Episcopal camping experiences to offer, such as Camp Living Waters, Bishop's Ranch and St. Dorothy's Rest.

Over the coming months we will communicate with you on a frequent basis following each of our board meetings. In addition to Bishop Barry Beisner's role as Chair of the Camp Noel Porter Board, the new board members and recently elected officers are as follows: